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History

BA (Hons)

Studying history keeps your career options open. You could go on to be a lawyer, journalist, archaeologist, teacher, museum curator or anything in between.

UCAS Code: V100

Single Honours

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Three people looking at an historic book

You’ll benefit from the resources of an ancient Cathedral city that’s steeped in history. At Worcester, you’ll get the chance to work with local museums, galleries and the Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, which is based in the University library.

95%

of graduates go on to work or further study after 15 months

Graduate Outcomes Survey
1st

in the UK for Quality Education

THE University Impact rankings 2024

First for jobs

The University of Worcester is first in the UK for sustained employment, further study or both, five years after graduation (excluding specialist institutions) - Longitudinal Educational Outcomes Survey 2024. Read more.


Overview

Study for a history degree at Worcester and you can learn history as it's being written. Your lecturers will be the authors of some of the books you're using – and you'll even get the chance to contribute to their research.

You’ll benefit from a range of modules that address contemporary themes. From gender and sexuality in the early modern period through to the 1970s, to the significance of race and ethnicity to imperialism, slavery, genocide, national identity and racism. You’ll learn about the global south through the histories of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia, and develop your understanding of poverty and social justice in modules on British, European and world history. You’ll deepen your knowledge of war and conflict as well as the peace settlements and anti-war movements that these produced.

And, as well as benefiting from the latest thinking, you can learn through a work placement – perhaps in archives, museums, local community groups, schools, or a National Trust property. So you understand the relevance of history to our culture and working life.

Throughout your history degree, you'll learn in small, informal groups. You'll get a lot of individual support in a very friendly atmosphere.

Work experience

During your time at Worcester you’ll have the opportunity to take part in subject-related work experience and volunteering activities. In your second year you can choose to take a work experience module, and volunteering opportunities with local and regional historical organisations are regularly publicised to all history students.


Witchcraft and the Devil


Course content

A history degree shows you how history shapes and reshapes our world every day. At Worcester, you can shape your History BA to suit you with a wide range of optional modules to choose from in your second and third years.

Optional modules will run if they receive enough interest. It is not guaranteed that all modules will run every year.

Mandatory modules
Optional modules


Careers

A history degree is a great way to prepare for your future. You’ll learn how to do in-depth research, analyse complex evidence and communicate clear arguments – valuable skills that can be applied to lots of different careers.

This history degree could be the first step toward your career as a:

  • Journalist
  • Heritage manager
  • Media researcher
  • Teacher
  • Museum curator
  • Archivist
  • Librarian
  • Historian
  • Academic researcher
  • Marketing manager
  • HR officer
  • Civil servant
  • Lawyer
  • Local Government officer

These are just some of the varied jobs history graduates go into.

If you do choose to become a teacher you can train to teach with a one-year Primary or Secondary PGCE at Worcester.


Course highlights

Worcester Cathedral on the banks of the River Severn
Two students are talking animatedly
Student looking into glass cases of historic medical equipment
History alumni visit
Students writing in notebook on table
View of the Imperial War Museum in London
A historic city
Worcester played a central role in the English Civil War and was the scene of its final battle.  During your degree you can visit the cathedral library with its priceless collection of rare books and manuscripts.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching will be delivered through a combination of guided lectures, independent study and one-to-one tutoring sessions.

Our course has been designed to prepare you for your future career, so evaluation is not all about exams. You’ll also be assessed through fieldwork reports, document analyses, article and film reviews, oral presentations, and blogs.

Teaching and assessment contents

Students will be taught by a teaching team whose expertise and knowledge are closely matched to the content of the modules on the course.

Teaching is informed by research and consultancy. All lecturers on the course have PhDs and a higher education teaching qualification or are Fellows of the Higher Education Academy.

Teaching staff

A small selection of the lecturers on this course.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Professor Neil Fleming

Neil Fleming's research and teaching focusses on aspects of British, Irish and imperial history since the late nineteenth century.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Professor Suzanne Schwarz

Suzanne Schwarz’s teaching at the University of Worcester focuses on the transatlantic slave trade and West Africa in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. She also focuses on developing historical research skills for students through the study of regional and local history. She was the recipient of two student-led teaching awards in 2013 and 2014.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Professor Darren Oldridge

Darren Oldridge is a specialist in sixteenth and seventeenth-century religious history. His interests include witchcraft and the Devil, the supernatural, and the religious context of the English Civil Wars. A recurring theme of his work is the rationality underpinning apparently strange beliefs: this is reflected, most recently, in the new edition of Strange Histories (Routledge: 2017). More broadly, he is interested in the relationship between poetry and film and the past.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Professor Neil Fleming

Neil Fleming's research and teaching focusses on aspects of British, Irish and imperial history since the late nineteenth century.

University of Worcester logo on a light blue background

Professor Suzanne Schwarz

Suzanne Schwarz’s teaching at the University of Worcester focuses on the transatlantic slave trade and West Africa in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. She also focuses on developing historical research skills for students through the study of regional and local history. She was the recipient of two student-led teaching awards in 2013 and 2014.



Entry requirements

UCAS tariff points required: 112

Typical Offer
QualificationGrade
A-levelBBC
BTEC National Extended DiplomaDMM
T-levelMerit

We do accept Access to HE Diplomas and other qualifications which may not exactly match the combinations above. Work out your estimated points with the UCAS tariff calculator.

Any questions?

If you have any questions about entry requirements, please call our Admissions Office on 01905 855111 or email admissions@worc.ac.uk.


Fees

Fees contents

UK and EU students

The Government has announced that it will increase tuition fees and maintenance loans by 3.1% from the 2025/26 academic cycle. Subject to approval, the University intends to increase our tuition fees in line with this and as per our terms and conditions. This means that from September 2025 the standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees will be £9,535 per year.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2025/26 academic year is £16,700 per year.

For more details on course fees, please visit our course fees page.


How to apply

How to apply contents

Applying through UCAS

UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for full-time undergraduate courses in the UK.

Read our how to apply pages for more information on the application process, or if you’d like to apply for part-time study.

History BA (Hons) - V100

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Contact

If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.

No alt text provided

Professor Neil Fleming

Professor of Modern History

Admissions Office

01905 855111

More to explore

Open Days

Visiting us is the best way to get a feel for student life at the University of Worcester.

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The City of Worcester

Worcester is a welcoming university city with great transport links and plenty of student parking.

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Accommodation

Benefit from our accommodation guarantee. We have rooms on campus to suit every budget including en-suite options.

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